Paulina Girl

Popularity: #612 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: paw-LEE-nah /pɔːˈliː.nə/

Origin: Latin; Greek

Meaning: Latin: small; Greek: humble

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Paulina is derived from the Latin name Paulinus, which is a diminutive form of Paulus, meaning "small" or "humble." The root Paulus comes from the Latin word "paulus," which carries the same meaning. This name entered the English language through the Old French form, Paulline, during the medieval period, reflecting the influence of Latin on the vernacular languages of Europe following the fall of the Roman Empire.

The transition from Latin to Old French and then to English illustrates the linguistic evolution and cultural exchanges that occurred in Europe over centuries. Historically, the name Paulina has been associated with several notable figures.

One of the earliest references can be traced back to the early Christian period, where Saint Paul, a prominent apostle in the New Testament, played a significant role in the spread of Christianity. His teachings and letters, which were foundational to Christian theology, contributed to the name's enduring legacy.

Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and documents throughout the Middle Ages, often linked to noble families and saints, further solidifying its place in Christian tradition. Culturally, Paulina has been embraced in various societies, often symbolizing humility and modesty due to its etymological roots.

The name has been used in literature and art, reflecting its significance in different cultural contexts. In some traditions, diminutive forms like Paulie or Lina have emerged, showcasing the name's adaptability and affection in familial or intimate settings.

Overall, Paulina carries a rich historical and cultural resonance, rooted in its linguistic origins and the notable figures associated with it.

Famous people named Paulina

In this section, you will find notable people named Paulina. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Paulina who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Paulina who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Paulina Porizkova is a model and actress best known for her work in Sports Illustrated and the film Anna.

Fictional characters named Paulina

The following list of fictional characters named Paulina is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Paulina is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. She is a key character in the game Spirit Tracks, where she serves as a guide and ally to the protagonist, Link.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Paulina, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

PaulaPaulettePabloPaxtonPalomaPiper

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Paulina. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

PollyPalomaPaigePennyPeytonPhoebePiperPoppy

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Paulina was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Paulina has ranked as high as #693 nationally, which occurred in 2002, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida.

In the past 5 years the name Paulina has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Paulina is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Paulina was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Paulina.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 346 0 346
2024 361 0 361
2023 364 0 364
2022 356 0 356
2021 355 0 355
2020 329 0 329
2019 328 0 328
2018 292 0 292
2017 311 0 311
2016 368 0 368
2015 315 0 315
2014 280 0 280
2013 323 0 323
2012 321 0 321
2011 361 0 361
2010 390 0 390
2009 469 0 469
2008 531 0 531
2007 657 0 657
2006 607 0 607
2005 791 0 791
2004 738 0 738
2003 725 0 725
2002 822 0 822
2001 648 0 648
2000 574 0 574
1999 594 5 589
1998 475 0 475
1997 519 0 519
1996 464 0 464
1995 428 0 428
1994 437 0 437
1993 470 0 470
1992 428 0 428
1991 415 0 415
1990 409 0 409
1989 295 0 295
1988 174 0 174
1987 138 0 138
1986 106 0 106
1985 58 0 58
1984 79 0 79
1983 64 0 64
1982 67 0 67
1981 77 0 77
1980 52 0 52
1979 50 0 50
1978 53 0 53
1977 55 0 55
1976 39 0 39
1975 36 0 36
1974 48 0 48
1973 47 0 47
1972 26 0 26
1971 48 0 48
1970 49 0 49
1969 43 0 43
1968 35 0 35
1967 28 0 28
1966 39 0 39
1965 36 0 36
1964 26 0 26
1963 26 0 26
1962 31 0 31
1961 37 0 37
1960 25 0 25
1959 24 0 24
1958 17 0 17
1957 29 0 29
1956 19 0 19
1955 21 0 21
1954 22 0 22
1953 21 0 21
1952 24 0 24
1951 25 0 25
1950 26 0 26
1949 21 0 21
1948 19 0 19
1947 15 0 15
1946 20 0 20
1945 16 0 16
1944 13 0 13
1943 24 0 24
1942 16 0 16
1941 11 0 11
1940 24 0 24
1939 18 0 18
1938 16 0 16
1937 15 0 15
1936 18 0 18
1935 21 0 21
1934 24 0 24
1933 22 0 22
1932 39 0 39
1931 39 0 39
1930 34 0 34
1929 51 0 51
1928 66 0 66
1927 47 0 47
1926 48 0 48
1925 78 0 78
1924 40 0 40
1923 38 0 38
1922 37 0 37
1921 34 0 34
1920 35 0 35
1919 28 0 28
1918 35 0 35
1917 28 0 28
1916 26 0 26
1915 33 0 33
1914 26 0 26
1913 14 0 14
1912 17 0 17
1911 14 0 14
1910 11 0 11
1909 11 0 11
1908 11 0 11
1907 11 0 11
1906 5 0 5
1905 10 0 10
1904 7 0 7
1903 10 0 10
1902 8 0 8
1901 6 0 6
1900 10 0 10
1899 7 0 7
1898 13 0 13
1897 13 0 13
1896 15 0 15
1895 15 0 15
1894 13 0 13
1893 11 0 11
1892 12 0 12
1891 13 0 13
1890 8 0 8
1889 6 0 6
1888 10 0 10
1887 12 0 12
1886 7 0 7
1885 5 0 5
1884 12 0 12
1883 7 0 7
1882 9 0 9
1881 8 0 8
1880 10 0 10

Top States for Paulina (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 88
29%
CA 81
27%
FL 34
11%
IL 16
5%
AZ 16
5%
NY 15
5%
WA 10
3%
PA 8
3%
NC 6
2%
NV 6
2%
UT 5
2%
IN 5
2%
NM 5
2%
CO 5
2%
SC 5
2%